Readers: Here are more words that just use up valuable space and make your writing at best wordy and at worst wrong.

1. The bar is located at Third and Main, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

“Located” is an active verb. If you’re saying you drove around the neighborhood until you located the bar, that’s OK. Otherwise, just say, “The bar is at Third and Main in Chula Vista.” You already know Chula Vista is in California, and unless you're planning to mail the bar a letter, you don't need the zip code. In some cases, when the town is known, you can save even more words by saying only, “The bar is at Third and Main.”

2. Hot water heater

This is one of our favorite goofs. It’s not a hot water heater! It’s just a water heater! It doesn’t heat hot water! Actually, it heats cold water!

3. Convicted felon; ex-felon; ex-convict

If you’re a felon, you already are convicted. And you never are an ex-felon or an ex-convict (unless your original conviction is overturned). What the writer probably intended is that the person was an ex-inmate or ex-prisoner.

4. Eyewitness

Just ”witness.” The eye thing is presumed.

5. Pickup truck.

Also one of our favorite goofs. A pickup is a type of truck. You wouldn’t say “a sedan car” or “a yacht boat.” Just say pickup. Really. You can.

6. Rio Grande River.

“Rio Grande” is Spanish for “big river.” So you’re saying “Big river river.”

7. Tuna fish. 

Steak beef. Chicken poultry. Zucchini vegetable. Coffee beverage. Now don’t you feel stupid about all the times you’ve said, “tuna fish?”

8. Blazing inferno 

What else would an inferno be doing?

9. Met in person. Met face-to-face.

You are presumed to meet in person unless you specify that you met by phone or FaceTime.

10. The thieves fled on foot.

Unless you mention a car, people are presumed to flee on foot. Just say they “ran off,” or “ran away,” or just “ran.”

11. Writhed on the ground. Writhed in pain.

You can’t writhe standing up. And some squirm and contort on the ground for reasons other than pain, such as nausea, or grief, but pain is the presumed reason unless otherwise specified.

Watch this on video! https://youtu.be/SdkxCZmQrNU

Next time: Write like you’re paying by the word

Readers: "Something Went Horribly Wrong," features samples of bad writing we see nearly every day. You can participate! Be our duly deputized “grammar police:” Your motto: “To protect and correct.” Send in your photos of store signs, street signs, newspaper headlines, tweets, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a grammatical error. It can be just what we call “cowardly writing.” Include your name and home town so we properly can credit you. You're free to add a comment, although we reserve the right to edit or omit. Now get out there! Send to Eliot@eliotkleinberg.com